An Amazing Discussion With Paul Thomas Anderson & Daniel Day-Lewis on "There Will Be Blood"

It's hard to believe that almost a decade has passed since Paul Thomas Anderson's film There Will Be Blood — considered by many to be a contemporary masterpiece of direction, writing, and acting — debuted in theaters and went on to be nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning two of them for Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis) and Best Cinematography (Robert Elswit).

We recently stumbled upon this gem, which is a 54-minute discussion with writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson and actor Daniel Day-Lewis about the film.

Much is discussed and revealed about the development and eventual production of the film, including:

1. The "I'm Finished" Line

https://youtu.be/I1PYp-fsZOA

Many believe this to be a brilliant improvisation on Daniel Day-Lewis's part. However, it's revealed that the line was in the script.

2. The Book "Oil!" Was Only Used As Inspiration

While the Upton Sinclair book was listed in the credits, only the first 150 pages of it were used as inspiration for the world and character. The story is far too different to be considered an adaptation. The film's Daniel Plainview was an amalgam of oil tycoon Edward L. Doheny and several others.

3. The End Mansion and Bowling Lane Scenes Were Shot in Edward L. Doheny's Actual Mansion

https://youtu.be/hKoLsqnKRKw

Oil tycoon Edward L. Doheny's Los Angeles mansion was utilized for the filming. While many felt that the bowling alley was a movie set built on a stage, this is the very location that a picture that Anderson had found during his research had been taken of Doheny back in the 1920s on location in his mansion — with the very same bowling alley in the background.

4. The Film Was Shot on the Same Location That Giant Was Filmed

The classic Giant — one of Paul Thomas Anderson's favorite films — was filmed in the very same Texas location as There Will Be Blood. However, Anderson had no clue of the connection until the location was already decided upon. He had originally wanted to film in California, where the actual film's story takes place, but they couldn't find any scenic locations that looked like Bakersfield, CA would have looked like during that time period without seeing highways, fast food signs, etc. They considered New Mexico, Nevada, and even Mexico until discovering the Marfa, Texas location.

5. Paul Thomas Anderson Quit Film School After Two Days

Anderson brings up the notion of film school during the discussion. He comments on how he was constantly hearing that if you want to be a filmmaker, you need to go to film school. With the help of his father, he enrolled in the New York University. He lasted only a couple days until he realized that it wasn't for him. He told his father that he didn't feel like going there anymore and then asked if he could use his college money to make a film. His father said yes, as long as he knew that this would be the only time.

That film was Paul Thomas Anderson's breakout 1993 short film Cigarettes & Coffee.

The short film helped launch the career of Paul Thomas Anderson and was used as a basis for his first feature film Hard Eight.

Watch this amazing and informative discussion with Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day-Lewis to learn more about There Will Be Blood, their careers, and their overall process as writer-director and actor.